This week’s video additions to the Wii U/3DS eShops are as follows:

Wii U

Nintendo Minute: DKC: Tropical Freeze Favorite Levels
Remix II Stage 7: Get All the Vegetables!
Ice Hockey Trailer
Nintendo Minute – 1001 Spikes Developer Chat
Nintendo Minute – Retro City Rampage Developer Chat
Nintendo 3DS – New Owner’s Guide: Built In Software

3DS

Nintendo Minute: DKC: Tropical Freeze Favorite Levels
Remix II Stage 7: Get All the Vegetables!
Quell Reflect Trailer
Sky Kid Trailer
Nintendo Minute – 1001 Spikes Developer Chat
Nintendo Minute – Retro City Rampage Developer Chat
Nintendo 3DS – New Owner’s Guide: Built In Software

Source: Wii U/3DS eShops

More: video additions

Through the end of today, you can purchase Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag at a significant discount. Amazon and Best Buy both have the game available for $24.99. That’s a $35 discount off the regular price, or 58%.

More: Amazon, Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag, Best Buy, sale, Ubisoft

Ubisoft’s Hugues Ricour has told Total Xbox that the company tries to make players think through the games it provides. “There’s definitely a conscious mandate to make sure we make fun experiences that focus on gameplay, that we enrich people’s lives, and that we connect them together,” he also said.

Ricour’s comments in full:

“We’re trying to make people think. There’s a bunch of other games that I won’t name where you’re very scripted and driven to just follow a path and do actions and press buttons…it’s not just making games for the sake of making games. There’s definitely a conscious mandate to make sure we make fun experiences that focus on gameplay, that we enrich people’s lives, and that we connect them together.”

Source, Via

More: Hugues Ricour, Ubisoft

More: LEGO The Hobbit, Warner Bros. Interactive

Vblank Entertainment has provided a look at Retro City Rampage: DX’s music jukebox, which will be added in the game through update #1. Check out the Vine clip below:

Source

More: indie, Retro City Rampage: DX, title update, Vblank Entertainment

The following people are involved with the voices for Sonic Boom’s game/TV series:

• Sonic Roger Craig Smith

• Dr Eggman Mike Pollock

• Tails Colleen Villard

• Knuckles Travis Willingham

• Amy Cindy Robinson

• Orbot Kirk Thornton

• Cubot Wally Wingert

• Voice Director Jack Fletcher

Source

More: SEGA, Sonic Boom

Polygon has published a bunch of new details about LEGO The Hobbit, some of which come from executive producer Nick Ricks. You can find a roundup of information below and Polygon’s article here.

– Bilbo Baggins joins a band of dwarves as they fight to reclaim their lost kingdom
– Camaraderie is key for the adventurers
– When working together, dwarves can move heavy obstacles, reach new heights and deliver wicked blows to bosses

“For us, it was the sense that the dwarves are really just thrown out from their home in such peril and adversity. Smaug has stolen their ancient homeland. They’re just outcasts. What’s so amazing about them is their collaboration. How they stick together through thick and thin despite their bickering. We thought that was a really important, emotional moment throughout all the films which we naturally wanted to capture. The fact they they do combine and work together seemed fit for the idea of Lego play. You combine bricks, you build things together. They seemed like a natural fit.”

– Demo set in Goblin Town
– In the demo, the group was split into two separate parties
– The game automatically swapped between the two at key points in exploration
– Pick your own individual character as each group progresses (like Thorin or Gandalf)
– Do so by choosing their portrait from a radial menu
– Each dwarf has their own abilities and preferred weapons
– These include a bow and arrow combination to a giant hammer
– Some are better equipped to deal with specific threats
– Teaming up can be done with the nearest dwarf and good timing
– Coordinate attacks with bosses with the right button press
– Stack dwarves in a totem pole to reach a new area
– Only covers the first two Hobbit films
– TT Games has plans involving a third

“At the moment we’re completely focused on making Lego The Hobbit the best it can be. We know there’s another film coming out, and we’ve got very excited plans about that, but I’m afraid there’s nothing I can say today.”

Source

More: details roundup, LEGO The Hobbit, Warner Bros. Interactive

More: Circle Entertainment, Goodbye Galaxy Games, indie, Tappingo

Reviews for Professor Layton and the Azran Legacy are starting to pour in ahead of the game’s North American launch on Friday. We’ll round up verdicts throughout the day below.

Joystiq – 3.5 / 5
GamesRadar – 4 / 5
Shacknews – 7 / 10
Game Informer – 8.25 / 10
GamesBeat – 88 / 100
USGamer – 4 / 5

More: Professor Layton and the Azran Legacy, reviews roundup

More: Steel Diver: Sub War